Adenium Plant Named &#39;LEELADE202&#39;

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct  Adenium  cultivar named ‘LEELADE202’ is disclosed, characterized by unique double white and red-purple flowers. The new variety is a  Adenium , typically produced as an indoor ornamental plant.

LATIN NAME OF THE GENUS AND SPECIES

Adenium obesum

VARIETY DENOMINATION

‘LEELADE202’

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

This application relates to a new cultivar of Adenium obesum. The new variety is the product of a planned breeding program. The new variety originated as a seedling from the crossing of the unpatented, proprietary seed parent Adenium obesum ‘VCKRWI’ with the unpatented, proprietary pollen parent referred to as Adenium obesum ‘VKGW4’. The crossing was made by the inventor in a non-commercial nursery in Bangkok, Thailand during 2006.

The new variety was first selected by the inventor, Anong Leelachaikul, a citizen of Thailand, in June 2009, at the same nursery in Bangkok, Thailand. After identifying the new variety as a potentially interesting selection, the inventor continued confidential testing and propagation of ‘LEELADE202’, assessing stability of the unique characteristics of this variety.

Asexual reproduction of the new cultivar ‘LEELADE202’ was first performed in June 2009 at a commercial nursery in Bangkok, Thailand by taking a nodal cutting from the new variety and grafting that to a rootstock plant. The rootstock plants are started from seed, and are unnamed, unpatented varieties of Adenium obesum. Access to all plants was restricted, as plants were kept in a greenhouse not open to the public. Through subsequent propagation by vegetative cuttings, multiple generations have been reproduced, which have shown that the unique features of this cultivar are stable and reproduced true to type.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The cultivar ‘LEELADE202’ has not been observed under all possible environmental conditions. The phenotype may vary somewhat with variations in environment such as temperature, day length, and light intensity, without, however, any variance in genotype.

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined to be the unique characteristics of ‘LEELADE202’. These characteristics in combination distinguish ‘LEELADE202’ as a new and distinct Adenium cultivar:

1. Flower configuration with a consistent full second row of petals, forming a double flower.

2. Unique mixed flower color of white and red-purple.

PARENT COMPARISON

Plants of the new cultivar ‘LEELADE202’ are similar to the seed parent, Adenium ‘VCKRWI’ in most horticultural characteristics. The new variety, however, produces double flowers whereas the seed parent produces single flowers.

Plants of the new cultivar ‘LEELADE202’ are similar to the pollen parent, Adenium ‘VKGW4’ in most horticultural characteristics. The new variety, however, produces flowers with two colors, whereas the pollen parent produces a single color flower.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPH

The accompanying photograph in FIG. 1 illustrates in full color a typical plant of ‘LEELADE202’ grafted outdoors in Thailand and grown in a commercial greenhouse in Honselersdijk, the Netherlands. This plant is approximately 9 months old from the graft, shown planted in 15 cm container. The plant has been grown according to the details in the following paragraph. The photograph was taken using conventional techniques and although colors may appear different from actual colors due to light reflectance it is as accurate as possible by conventional photographic techniques.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

In the following description, color references are made to The Royal Horticultural Society Colour Chart 2001, except where general terms of ordinary dictionary significance are used. The following observations and measurements describe ‘LEELADE202’ plants grown according to the following protocols.

Taking place in a commercial nursery, outdoors in Bangkok, Thailand, rootstock is grown from seeds. Seeds are planted and grown for 12-14 months. After that, heads are taken off the rootstock plants and the plants are grafted together with the selected variety.

Grafting is done by means of taking a nodal cutting from the candidate variety and placing that on top of the cut of the rootstock plant. Immediately after that, the top of the plant is covered by a layer of plastic and tied down by a rubber band. The plastic covers the actual graft entirely.

Rootstock plants during the first few weeks after seeding are grown under shade, and after that they are grown in Thailand in full sun. Stock plants of the candidate variety, resulting in the nodal cutting are also grown in Thailand in full sun.

During and until 1-2 weeks after grafting, plants are placed in a greenhouse that has both shade cloth and overhead plastic. This protects the grafted plants against the sun and the rain. After that, the grafted plants are placed in full sun again.

Three to four months after grafting, the grafted plants are cut back and shipped to the Netherlands. In the Netherlands, the plants continue to grow for 3-5 months, after which they are sold as flowering plant. Therefore, counted from the date of grafting, it takes 6-9 months to produce a finished flowering plant.

In Thailand the plants grow under natural outdoor conditions, with temperatures ranging from approximately 10° C. to 40° C., and very bright sunlight. In the Netherlands, the plants are grown in a greenhouse with average day temperature about 26 degrees Celsius and average night temperature about 22 degrees Celsius, un-shaded, to allow as much natural light as possible.

Measurements and numerical values below represent averages of typical plant types.

-   Botanical classification: Adenium obesum ‘LEELADE202’ -   Propagation:     -   -   Root description.—The plant described is grafted and does             not have its own roots for description. -   Plant:     -   -   Caudex description.—Diameter: Average: 4.6 cm Height:             Average: 7.5 cm Color: Greyed-green, near RHS 194A but             slightly darker Texture: Smooth, very slightly glossy.         -   Plant spread.—Approximately 19.4 cm.         -   Plant height.—Top of flowering plane, average: 28.5 cm Top             of foliar plane, average: 28.5 cm.         -   Growth rate.—Moderate.         -   Length of primary stem.—Approximately 6.2 cm.         -   Diameter of primary stem.—Approximately 1.9 cm.         -   Stem color.—Greyed-green, a color in between RHS 191A, 198B             and 198C.         -   Stem texture.—Smooth, very slightly glossy.         -   Lateral branches.—Quantity: 3 (after pinching) Length: 8.7             cm Diameter: 0.8 cm Color: Young stems yellow-green, near             RHS 144C, older stems greyed-green near RHS 191B             Texture/Pubescence: Smooth, moderately glossy.         -   Internode length.—Approximately 0.6 cm. -   Foliage:     -   -   Leaf.—Arrangement: Alternate Quantity: Approximately 21 per             lateral branch. Average Length: Approximately 6.8 cm.             Average Width: Approximately 3.8 cm. Shape of blade:             Oblanceolate Apex: Abruptly acute Base: Narrow cuneate             Attachment: Sessile Margin: Entire Texture of top surface:             Smooth, glossy Texture of bottom surface: Smooth, matte             Pubescence: No pubescence Color: Young foliage upper side:             Green; near RHS 143C Young foliage under side: Yellow-green;             near RHS 147D Mature foliage upper side: Green; near RHS             N137B Mature foliage under side: Green; near RHS 138B.             Venation: Type: Pinnate Venation color upper side:             Greyed-green; near RHS 192B Venation color under side:             Greyed-green; near RHS 193A.         -   Petiole.—No petioles present, leaves sessile. -   Flowering characteristics:     -   -   Natural flowering season.—In Thailand, the plants flower all             year around, but during heavy rain periods, the plants do             drop most or all of their flowers. Therefore, especially             during the rainy seasons in Thailand, the plants will not             flower so heavily as during the dry seasons. In The             Netherlands, the plants will naturally flower most heavily             during periods of very heavy sun and long days, particularly             in July and August and to a lesser extent in June and             September.         -   Inflorescence type and habit.—Axillary compound cyme.         -   Flower longevity on plant.—Average: After the opening of the             flowers, the flowers will stay on the plant on average             between 5-10 days. How long the flowers stay on the plants             mostly depend on climate conditions like the light level,             day length, amount of watering.         -   Quantity of flowers.—About 29 buds and 2 fully opened             flowers per plant, at one time.         -   Inflorescence size.—Diameter: Approximately 10.4 cm. Height:             Approximately 6.6 cm.         -   Individual flower size.—Diameter: Average: 6.6 cm. Flower             tube length: Average: 4.0 cm. Flower tube diameter at distal             end: Average: 1.9 cm. Flower tube diameter at proximal end:             Average: 0.4 cm.         -   Petals.—Petal arrangement: Rotate Length from throat:             Average: 3.1 cm. Width: Average: 3.0 cm. Quantity: Average:             5 Texture: Smooth, slightly velvety, dull Margin: Entire,             wavy Tip shape: Rounded to retuse Petaloids: Average: 10,             average length from throat: 2.7 cm, average width: 2.5 cm,             texture: smooth, slightly velvety, dull, margins entire,             wavy, tip shaped broad acute.         -   Color.—Petals: When opening: Upper surface: Red-purple; near             RHS 69B, 69C and 69D, with an irregular narrow central             blotch colored red-purple; RHS N57A, outer margins             red-purple; RHS 61B and 70B Lower surface: Red-purple; near             RHS 58C and 58D, base purple; RHS 76D, outer margins             red-purple; RHS 61B. Fully opened: Upper surface:             Red-purple; near RHS 69B, with an irregular narrow central             blotch colored red-purple; RHS N57A, outer margins             red-purple; RHS 61B and 70B Lower surface: Red-purple; near             RHS 58C, base purple; RHS 76D, outer margins red-purple; RHS             61B Flower throat (inside): White; 155A Flower throat, vein:             White; 155A Flower tube (outside): Green-yellow; near RHS 1D             Flower tube, vein: Green-yellow; near RHS 1D.         -   Fading.—Petals fading to: Not fading.         -   Color.—Petaloids: When opening: Upper surface: Red-purple;             near RHS 69B, with an irregular narrow central blotch             colored red-purple; RHS N57A, outer margins red-purple; RHS             71C Lower surface: Red-purple; near RHS 58C and 58D, base             red-purple; RHS 69D, outer margins red-purple; RHS 61B Fully             opened: Upper surface: Red-purple; near RHS 69B, 69C and             69D, with an irregular narrow central blotch colored             red-purple; RHS N57A, outer margins red-purple; RHS 61B and             70B Lower surface: Red-purple; near RHS 63C, base purple;             RHS 76D, outer margins red-purple; RHS 61B.         -   Fading.—Petaloids fading to: Not fading.         -   Bud.—Shape: Oblanceolate Length: Average: 2.8 cm Diameter:             Average: 0.7 cm Color: Yellow-green; near RHS 145C, top red;             RHS 54A and 54B.         -   Peduncle.—Length: Average: 0.4 cm. Diameter: Average;             0.4 cm. Color: Yellow-green; near RHS 145A and 145B             Orientation: Outward Strength: Moderately strong.         -   Pedicel.—Length: Average: 0.8 cm. Diameter: Average: 0.3 cm.             Color: Yellow-green; near RHS 145B Orientation: Outward to             upright Strength: Moderately strong.         -   Sepals.—Quantity per flower: Average: 5 Shape: Narrow ovate             Length: Approximately 0.9 cm Width: Approximately 0.3 cm             Margin: Entire Texture: Smooth Color: Yellow-green; near RHS             145B. -   Reproductive organs:     -   -   Stamens.—Number: Average: 5 Filament length: Approximately             0.4 cm.         -   Anthers.—Shape: Linear Length: Approximately 2.8 cm Color:             Ranging Red-purple to white; near RHS 62D and N155B Pollen:             Color: No pollen detected.         -   Pistil.—Number: Average: 1 Length: Approximately 1.5 cm             Style: Length: Approximately 1.45 cm Color: Yellow-green;             near RHS 145D Stigma: Shape: Club-shaped Color:             Yellow-green; near RHS 145B Ovary color: Yellow-green; near             RHS 145C. -   Other characteristics:     -   -   Disease resistance.—Good resistance to the normal diseases             found in Adenium.         -   Drought tolerance and cold tolerance.—Normal for species,             USDA zone 10 and higher.         -   Fruit/seed production.—No fruits/seeds detected to date. 

What is claimed is:
 1. A new and distinct cultivar of Adenium plant named ‘LEELADE202’ as herein illustrated and described. 